Douglas Rushkoff is organizing a one-day conference on October 20, 2011 in New York City called ContactCon to explore how to unlink social media from the corporations that provide, and increasingly, are positioning themselves to control it. I see this as an opportunity to explore the role that language plays in this and whether there is a role for Esperanto. Here is my first attempt to initiative a discussion around the topic: Beyond English: Language in a multipolar world.

It's too soon to capitulate and reject the idea of "finvenkismo" (the belief that Esperanto could become the second language for everyone), writes US esperantist Steven Brewer. By his title "Esperanto is" he wishes to bring attention to the fact that our language is not just a historical phenomenon or failed project, which mainstream media reports can make it seem, but an existing reality which it worth talking about in the present and future tense. English is the most important language in the world today, but that doesn't mean it will always be.